Heterosis under drought condition in hybrid rice

摘要

Thirty hybrids were developed by utilising three cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile lines and ten testers. These 30 hybrids together with their parents were studied for the extent of heterosis in 15 characters under drought conditions at Coimbatore during the dry season of 1995-96. Heterosis was observed for all the characters studied. The best hybrid, IR62829A/Mattaikar, revealed heterotic vigour for root length at 25 days after sowing (DAS), shoot length at 25 DAS, root to shoot ratio at 25 DAS, root length at harvest, root to shoot ratio at harvest, relative water content at 85 DAS, tiller number/plant, dry matter production and yield. Dry matter production was found to increase in sterile hybrid like IR62829A/Annada. The hybrids IR62829/Mattaikar and PMS3A/Mattaikar expressed significant standard heterosis for yield/plant which can be exploited under rainfed conditions.